Has God Changed?

I remember it vividly. My Dad’s chest was rising and falling very weakly, he was about to take his last breaths.

I was overcome with grief.

My mind was flooded with questions:

How could God have let this happen?

Where is God in this mess?

But one question kept coming into my head over and over. “Is God not good?”

When circumstances change it is very easy to think that God has changed. When everything is going good it is so easy to think that God is good, but when life kicks you in the soul it is hard to think that he is still in control, let alone good. It is easy to think God has changed. The God who we once knew, who filled our lives with vibrancy and love has changed into a cruel and angry God.

But hear what God says about himself:

Psalm 102:25-27

In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment.Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded.But you remain the same, and your years will never end.

James 1:17

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Psalm 33:10-11

The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

Did you hear what God says about himself? Psalm 102 says the earth will wear out like the T shirt I am wearing but God remains for ever and that he remains the same. Unlike a T shirt which will fade and stretch and get wrecked God doesn’t change. James says God doesn’t change, he is still the one who gives good gifts. Psalm 33 says that God’s plans can’t be thwarted. My plans can be. City-rail decides to cancel a train, someone rings at an inopportune moment, there is someone using the machine I wanted to use at the gym. Things like these ruin my plans everyday. My plans fail all the time but God’s don’t… ever!

When life kicks us in the soul has God changed? No he hasn’t, he is still the good God that called you to know and love him even though your faith has seen better days. He is still the same God who called you and your spouse together even though your marriage is on rocky ground. He is still your heavenly father who loves you even though your dad never got a chance to see his beautiful granddaughter.